Whooshing Blood Sound & Louder Tinnitus Started — Cold/Congestion Related?

[Rust]

Hi all

I was ill and congested a few weeks ago, and had a mild whooshing sound in my right ear, but no higher level of tinnitus.

It subsided after around a week alongside my recovery from illness, though last night the whooshing blood sound suddenly came back much louder/stronger and accompanied with a sharp tinnitus in the same (right) ear.

The strange thing is I am not sick anymore – though I am a still bit congested.

I did had a spicy Thai curry last night which cleared my sinuses, after which I blew my nose which seemed to release the congestion. Shortly after doing this I noticed the whooshing sound and lounder tinnitus. Is it possible I blew my nose which moved congestion in my eustachian tubes to cause this?

The only other thing I can think of that I have done was some hand sanding of some wall plaster the day before. I probably inhaled a bit of the dust, as it was about 10-15 mins of sanding before I wore my respirator mask.

When I focus on it, can feel a very little amount of fullness or congestion in my right ear, but it isn't very much at all. I previously thought it was just some ear wax, but I'm now thinking it may be congestion behind my ear or in myeustachian tubes. Could this be the cause of my whooshing sound and spiked tinnitus? It doesn't seem to make much sense though, as I've been congested for ages (months!) without issue.

Does anybody have any advice on if / how I can alleviate this? I am not enjoying these new sounds/feelings and want to get them sorted!

I know people use things like antihistamines and neti-pots, but I heave heard that these can make tinnitus worse?

Would waiting it out help, or do I need to take action?

Many thanks, all,
R

 

[jay777]

Could be the MSG in the food.

 

[Rust]

Could be the MSG in the food.

That's never happened before. Plus it's not changed since yesterday. I just don't know...

 

[infVM]

Do you have hearing loss?

 

[Rust]

Do you have hearing loss?

Nope

 

[Rust]

Anyone else have any wisdom?

 

[Deamon22]

If you have/had a cold that could the cause. I get a spike each time when the cold has passed or a few days after. I have also a loud wooshing and a high buzz in my left ear (normally my quiet ear). So yeah, hopefully once everything clears up the spike goes back down. Last time it took nearly 1-2 months to go back to normal.

 

[Rust]

If you have/had a cold that could the cause. I get a spike each time when the cold has passed or a few days after. I have also a loud wooshing and a high buzz in my left ear (normally my quiet ear). So yeah, hopefully once everything clears up the spike goes back down. Last time it took nearly 1-2 months to go back to normal.

Thanks @Deamon22
That's sounds reassuring.

Did your whoosh go down as well after 1-2 months, or just the ringing?

Also, when you say whoosh, do you mean from blood flow, it just a tinnitus like whoosh sound?

Many thanks

 

[Deamon22]

I had a cold at the end of november, it started getting better after 1 week end then went back up and down for the next 3-4 weeks more or less. Unfortunately i catched another cold last weekend, on monday i felt a lot better but thats when the tinnitus spiked. No, the whooshing sounds like a air stream, not the normal blood pumping that i hear in total silence. But also my normal tinnitus in my right ear spiked, just not as much as the buzz in my left.

Today luckily it already lowered a lot, yesterday was terrible. So i am hopefull it will again clear up completely. What i read here on the forum a spike during or after a cold is fairly common and it could take a few weeks to clear up.

 

[MrChips13]

I took cyclobenzaprine for several months (Just 5 mg at bedtime, no more) to deal with a lower back injury, and ceased taking it in December. I then had a cold, a bad one, much of January, and was coughing up phlegm through February. Went through 1 & 1/2 bottles of Nyquil and two full boxes of Mucinex. My tinnitus started in early March. A very high piercing sound, like the high pitched ringing in your ears you would get after shooting a loud shotgun. I saw an audiologist, who did nothing but test me and confirm things. Three days ago I read about some recent Cyclobenzaprine trial experiments with people suffering from tinnitus. I renewed my prescription, and I am giving it a try, but only at 15 mg per day, five in the morning, five in the afternoon, and five at that time. It does seem to be lowering the intensity of the sound, but not enough time has gone by for me to comment further.

 

[Hissy missy]

Gday Rust
I had similiar after a very congested head cold a few years ago. Just in my left ear. Whooshing sound when in a quiet room. I then had aural fullness in that ear for about 5 weeks. I was very anxious about it throughout that time. When I had a hearing test while I was experiencing that fullness it did show a mild loss in the high frequency. Whether that has since rectified itself I'm not sure as I've never gone back for another test. I can highly recommend taking a combination garlic, horseradish and vitamin c tablets. The dosage is 6 per day after food.